My Portfolio

Hi 👋, I'm Joseph J Helfenbein

🎓 Computer Science & Physics Student @ CCNY
🎮 Graphics Programming & Full-Stack Developer

I'm a Computer Science & Physics student at CCNY specializing in real-time rendering and simulation, building high-performance graphics pipelines and interactive environments with APIs like Vulkan, CUDA, and OpenGL, while also developing scalable, cloud-native fullstack applications using serverless architectures and modern frameworks (Go, Java Spring, Next.js/React, Nuxt/Vue).

Work Experience

Software Engineer Intern

Electronic Arts (EA)
June 2025 - September 2025
  • Developing a low-latency voice chat app for Apex Legends Esports (in progress), parsing game client logs for auto-muting and channel routing, leveraging a WebRTC SFU (Selective Forwarding Unit) for scalable audio, and using a custom LAN signaling server

    • Software Engineer Intern

    AuriStor, Inc.
    March 2025 - May 2025
  • Built Go-based Prometheus exporter & Grafana dashboards, reducing incident detection time by 40%
  • Automated AuriStorFS cell creation with Ansible, slashing setup time by 75%, and integrated dashboards using Kerberos authentication for volume and file operations
  • Dockerized builds and automated deployment with Jenkins CI/CD, enabling weekly releases at 99.9% uptime

    • Software Engineer Intern

    E3 Biogenetics
    July 2022 - September 2022
  • Built a JavaScript/PHP survey web app for 50 daily users with phpChart trend graphs and a JSON/JavaScript language toggle, boosting engagement 40% and accessibility 30%
  • Optimized MySQL indexing and session handling, speeding up backend responses by 25%

    • Graphics Projects

    GustGrid

    A real-time visualization tool of PC airflow and thermal dynamics built in C++, OpenGL, and NVIDIA CUDA. It accurately models heat dissipation, fan performance, and airflow patterns within complex computer chassis geometries, and has a graphical interface to adjust component layouts, enabling rapid design iterations.

    Material Viewer

    A 3D desktop application for previewing PBR materials using OpenGL and C++. It features HDRI environments, image-based lighting, and PBR shading. Users can upload individual image textures, custom .mat files, or .zip files for material previewing, and save viewed materials in a custom .mat format for easy sharing.

    Physics Sandbox

    A rigid body physics engine with simulated cubes and spheres. It has real-time raytraced shadows and a Blinn-Phong shader using WebGL.

    Hackathon Projects

    CUNY One Fraud Agent

    HackKnight 2025 submission
    First Place 🎉
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    CUNY One Fraud Agent is an AI-powered fraud detection system that monitors credit card transactions in real-time. When a suspicious transaction is detected, an AI agent calls the user. The agent can list suspicious charges and respond to user commands, allowing them to approve transactions, freeze their card, or request a live representative.

    Focura

    DragonHacks 2025 submission
    Best AI Implementation 🎉
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    A camera-powered posture and focus assistant that calibrates your optimal sitting position, monitors for slouching or phone distractions using a LangGraph workflow, and delivers real-time nudges to keep you upright and on task.

    Guardian Angel

    HackNYU 2025 submission
    2nd Place for Lifestyle & Health 🎉
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    Guardian Angel continuously monitors the driver’s face using computer vision to detect signs of distraction or drowsiness. If the driver looks at their phone or closes their eyes for too long, the system sends an alert to help them refocus on the road.

    MendPath

    DivHacks 2024 submission
    GitHub
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    Link
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    DoraHacks

    MendPath combines therapy, technology, and social connection in a way that fosters empathy, accountability, and mental health progress for users, filling a crucial gap in both personal well-being and community support.

    Cerebrix

    HackRU 2024 submission
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    Cerebrix is an adaptive app for dementia and Alzheimer's care, offering engaging minigames to boost memory and cognition. It features a voice AI companion for social support, while caretakers can manage accounts and track cognitive progress.

    Chama

    HackPrinceton 2024 submission
    Winner for Best Use of Onchainkit 🎉
    GitHub
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    Link
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    DoraHacks

    Chama empowers everyone to understand crypto by providing real-time insights, sentiment analysis, and personalized explanations. We make complex trends accessible, enabling informed decisions and bridging the crypto literacy gap for all.

    BlazeGuard

    HenHacks 2025 submission
    GitHub
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    Devpost

    BlazeGuard is a voice-powered medical assistant that helps users access their stored medical information and provides real-time emergency guidance. Users can talk to the AI agent, which retrieves medical details by name and delivers emergency response instructions using RAG.

    PatSafe

    Hoya Hacks 2025 submission
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    PatSafe is a platform that connects discharged patients with doctors for better post-care monitoring. It enables real-time recovery tracking, symptom reporting, and medication adherence updates via a seamless doctor dashboard and an AI-powered chatbot for patient support.

    HelpSignal

    HackHarvard 2024 submission
    GitHub
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    Devpost

    An emergency app using voice input to assess situations, alert nearby certified helpers (CPR, first aid), and notify first responders—providing immediate assistance before official help arrives.

    GameRecommend AI

    United Hacks V3 submission
    Winner for Best Solo Hack 🎉
    GitHub
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    Link
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    Devpost

    Utilizes AI to find similar games to any game you like. All you need to do is enter in a game you like, press the button, and the AI will return 5 games it thinks you will like, along with reasons why.